System Preparation Tool - Use to Customize Windows

OK, got them. This will take some time.

Forgot to ask, did you reboot this sysprepped machine as I asked to OOBE? If yes, was it working?

To be sure you understand what I want you to do: after sysprepping with Generalize switch, after you got the log files from those two different Panther folders, did you launch Sysprep once again and this time selected OOBE and Reboot as in screenshot below, not selecting Generalize as this is already done:

There's a reason for my request. What I wanted you to do was to sysprep /generalize with OOBE and QUIT instead of SHUTDOWN so Windows remains open after Sysprep, get the logs, then sysprep again without generalize, with REBOOT, to see if the computer reboots normally to OOBE mode and Windows will be properly set up.

Reading your logs as we speak, I need some more time for that.

OK, luckily you still have that working system image :).

I've gone through your logs and I have two possible scenarios to suggest to you.

First the installation logs (C:\Windows\Panther):
Windows recognizes all your hardware, setup is flawless, error log is totally empty.

Then the "bad child", Sysprep logs:
The culprit is Intel / OpenCL drivers, the GPU driver to be specific. Sysprep /generalize cannot release this driver, which automatically means Sysprep fails as it is unable to completely remove hardware information. OpenCL for instance takes care of the igfxtray.exe application which runs in sys tray although you cannot find it in installed programs. To ascertain this, Intel seems to have "tied" OpenCL somehow to that OEM UEFI pre-installation of yours, in a way that locks the drivers so Sysprep cannot remove them.

My suggestions below.

Alternative 1, using your existing image which already contains software needed:

• Restore your normal working image on reference computer
• Reboot to Audit Mode, command to do it is %windir%\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /audit /reboot
• When in Audit Mode, click Cancel to close the Sysprep dialog which is automatically shown in desktop
• Turn Windows Automatic Updates off
• Turn Windows Defender and Firewall off
• Uninstall (Programs & Features) all Intel and / or OpenCL items
• Uninstall (Device Manager) both video and audio drivers
• Now continue from Method Two as told in this tutorial to capture the image: Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer

- - OR - -

Alternative 2, start from scratch:

• Install Windows 8.1 on your reference computer, enter Audit Mode after installation has done the last reboot (this tutorial you are reading now, Part 2, steps 2.1 and 2.2)
• When in Audit Mode, click Cancel to close the Sysprep dialog which is automatically shown in desktop
• Turn Windows Automatic Updates off
• Turn Windows Defender and Firewall off
• Uninstall (Programs & Features) all Intel and / or OpenCL items
• Install all software you need to include in your image
• Uninstall (Device Manager) both video and audio drivers
• Now continue from Method Two as told in this tutorial to capture the image: Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer

Alternative 2 is my recommendation.

Kari

No, following my instructions in the post you quoted, you have already booted (although to Audit Mode, which is even better) so there's no need to boot again. Just give the Sysprep command.

Seems I am unable to give exact instructions...

Of course if uninstalling something requires reboot, then reboot. If you have followed my instructions, you are in a so called Audit Mode when doing this. The good thing is, assuming you have followed the instructions to the letter and closed the Sysprep dialog shown when arriving Audit Mode from the Cancel button, all reboots made in Audit Mode will automatically return to Audit Mode.

NOTICE PLEASE: this does not apply to uninstalling the two drivers I asked you to do. Can't think of it happening but in case when you uninstall drivers I asked you to uninstall, and Windows says something about hardware change and requires reboot, don't do it. I'm only mentioning this to cover all options, it will not happen, but let's be prepared :). It's important that when you go sysprepping, these drivers are not there; they will be if you reboot or scan hardware changes after manually removing them.

Last: if your reference computer fails booting after all this, do this before anything else:

• Boot the PC with your Macrium boot disk or any other WinPE / Live-CD disk
• Find those log files in both Panther folders on the hard disk, copy to an external device
• Zip the logs as you did before, post here